Sammary of The Penguin History of Canada 3

Material: The Penguin History of Canada 2006 by Robert Bothwell

According to Robert Bothwell in “The Penguin History of Canada” 2006, 1663, when Louis made a decision to make New France a royal province, was the threshold in North America. (p.43) France expanded her frontiers quickly to the south, Bothwell noted, and established new colonies. (Bothwell, 2006, p.46) The writer described that it was the Iroquois that “kept the colony in a constant state of fear.” (Bothwell, 2006, p.46) Then France sent troops to New France whose mission was to prevail the Iroquois, Bothwell continued. (Bothwell, 2006, p.48) The Iroquois most notably raided on New France in the 1680s, Bothwell explained. (Bothwell, 2006, p.49)
According to the writer, in order to organize the settlement France sent seigneurs and farmers who “sought river frontage along the St. Lawrence”, which was “the only reliable means of transportation.” (Bothwell, 2006, p.50) The writer continues that New France was unsuccessful in establishing industry and the keys to activate it were the fur trade and the land. (Bothwell, 2006 p.52) “CharlesⅡclaimed for England the lands of the Hudson bay watershed,” which “would become the Canadian prairies”, Bothwell noted. (Bothwell, 2006, p.55) However, as the only revenue in New France was the fur trade, in order to save it France tried to enlarge her colony into the interior and build her own trading posts, Bothwell presented. (Bothwell, 2006, p.55)
The writer stated that in 1689, the Algonquins finally defeated the Iroquois with the help of France. And the writer continued that even after the war the Iroquois still was “an important factor in the balance of power in North America” but, they were “no longer decisive”. (Bothwell, 2006, p.58) France established trading posts, and New France finally could “escape from the shadow of the Iroquois wars”, Bothwell noted. (Bothwell, 2006, p.59) Bothwell concluded that “the fur trade had reached a balance apparently favorable to France and French interests”. (Bothwell, 2006, p.59)


WORDS

1.tenuous: uncertain, likely to change, very thin and easily broken
Their future development was tenuous and uncertain.
2.turmoil: a state of confusion, excitement, and trouble
By the 1660s Europe had been in an almost constant state of turmoil for 150years.
3.assassinate: to murder an important person
In France a king was assassinated.
4.jaundiced: tending to judge people and things in an unfavorable way, often because you have had disappointing experiences yourself
Louis cast a jaundiced eye on French Protestantism.
5.periodically: happening many times over a long period, usually at regular times
The governor, the intendant, and the bishop were periodically reunited.
6.respite: a short time when sth bad stops happening, so that the situation is temporarily prospect.
The respite wasn’t permanent.
7.tempting: very good and you would like to have it or do it
New France wasn’t exactly a tempting prospect
8.compulsory: required to be done because of a rule or law
Compulsory service depended on whether one was around to be compelled.
9.regime: a government that has not been elected in fair elections
a particular systems of government or management, especially one you disapprove of
At the end of the French regime, there were only three settlements.
10.deterrent: sth that stops someone from doing sth or stops sth bad from happening
by making people realize it will be difficult or have bad results
Endless winters and the experience of scurvy were serious deterrants.
11.ambiguous: having more than one meaning, so that t is not clear which meaning is intended
He sent a small expedition with ambiguous instruction.
12.throne: the position and power of being a king or queen
The Protestant country placed the Dutch William of Orange on the English throne.
13.hindsight: the ability to understand facts about a situation only after it has happened
With hindsight, we can sea that the empire was past its apogee in 1690s.
14.favorable: promising, approving, beneficial
The fur trade had reached a balanced favorable to France.
15.perpetuate: continuing all the time without changing
He sought to expand his power and perpetuate his strategic advantage.